Word Origin & History

fastidious mid-15c., "full of pride," from L. fastidiosus "disdainful, squeamish, exacting," from fastidium "loathing," most likely from *fastu-taidiom, a compound of fastus "contempt, arrogance" and tædium "aversion, disgust." Early use in Eng. was in both passive and active senses. Meaning "squeamish, over-nice" emerged in English 1610s. Related: Fastidiously; fastidiousness.

Example Sentences for over-fastidious

Those he met in the course of a reporter's rounds made him over-fastidious.

In other respects I have written p. 34more carelessly, that is, without an over-fastidious and learned choice of words.

Now, you can step aside, Mrs. Grundy; what I am about to write is not for your over-fastidious ear.

In other respects I have written more carelessly, that is, without an over-fastidious and learned choice of words.

But with a poor apprentice, who has neither father nor mother, one need not be over-fastidious.

People had to take their meat allowance half in beef and half in horse-flesh, and the over-fastidious were but meagrely nourished.

Genevive washed his poor feet, and Colette, the over-fastidious Colette, wiped and bound them up with tender care.